Speed controlling means for spinning machines



Sept. 29, 1936. c. c. RUNNER 2,056,019

SPEED CONTROLLING MEANS FOR'SPINNI NG MACHINES I Filed July 5, 1935 Ihventor: Claude C. Runner;

by W awn-A404,:

H s Attorneg.

Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES SPEED CONTROLLING MEANS FOR SPINNING MACHINES Claude C. Runner, Schenectady, N. Y assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 5, 1935, Serial No. 29,884

Claims.

My invention relates to speed controlling means for ring spinning machines and the like, more particularly to means for automatically varying the speed of the spinning machine dur- 5 ing a filling wind operation, and has for an object the provision of simple and reliable means for varying the speed to give a high operating eificiency.

It will be understood that in filling wind operations, to which my invention relates in particular, the yarn is wound on the spindle in conical layers. At the beginning of the winding operation, a conical base or hunch is built up on the lower end of the spindle, the layers being thereafter conical for the completion of the winding operation. It will be apparent that in carrying out this winding operation, the yarn is wound on portions of the bobbin of a continually varying diameter, and it is an inherent characteristic of ring spinning machines that the tension on the yarn varies inversely with the diameter of the portion of the bobbin on which the thread is being wound, assuming a constant speed for the spindle. V

In order to obtain the highest permissible operating speeds during all portions of the winding operation while keeping the tension on the yarn substantially constant, it is desirable that at the beginning of the winding operation the spindle should be driven at a predetermined relatively low base speed. This speed should slightly in crease as the ring rail advances along the spindle and should decrease as the ring rail returns. During the time in which the base or bunch of the bobbin is being built up, the amplitude 'of this change in speed should gradually be increased and at the same time the base speed should gradually be raised until at the time the base or hunch is completed and the full taper of the bobbin developed the speed of the spindle should be varying with a maximum amplitude of speed change from a maximum base speed. The remainder of the bobbin is then built up by winding conical layers on the spindle, and the speed change obtained at the end of the base forming operation should be maintained during the remainder of the winding operation.

Various speed controlling arrangements have heretofore been proposed, comprising a plurality of cams and levers arranged to be driven through predetermined cycles to accomplish the above cycle of speed changes. Certain types of spinning machines, however, are provided with a mechanism, often called a monkey mechanism, for producing the necessary relative movement between the ring rail and the spindle to accomplish a filling wind operation, and I propose to utilize the motion of such a monkey mechanism for accomplishing through a suitable linkage mechanism the desired speed control of the machine. It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved automatic speed varying means for controlling the speed of a spinning machine of this character.

In carrying out my invention in one form, I provide a linkage mechanism connected between the speed controlling means for the spinning machine and an element of the machine having an amplitude of oscillating movement proportional to the amplitude of relative oscillatory movement between the spindle and the ring rail, and also having a transverse movement during the base forming portion of the winding operation. The linkage mechanism is driven in accordance with both the oscillatory movement of the machine element and the transverse movement of the machine element and is arranged to operate the speed controlling means so as to vary the speed of the machine between predetermined limits in accordance with the oscillatory movement and to operate the speed controlling means so as gradually to increase the base speed in accordance with the transverse movement.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference should now be had to the drawing, the single figure of which shows speed control means embodying my invention applied to a typical ring spinning machine of the above described character.

Referring now to the drawing, for purposes of clarity, only the essential elements of the spinning machine directly cooperating with the speed varying means are shown. In this particular machine, the spindle I0 is fixed in position while the ring rail H is oscillated up and down and is progressively moved upward as the winding operation proceeds. Obviously, however, the ring rail may be stationary and the spindle given a corresponing movement.

In order to simplify the drawing as much as possible, I have shown the ring rail in a conventional manner as being operated through a lever l2 pivoted at l3, one end of the lever being connected to the lower end of a rod M the upper end of which is secured to the ring rail. The other end of the lever l2 carries a weight I5 for raising the ring rail, and the lever I2 is operated against the force exerted by the weight I 5 by means of a flexible cable l6, one end of which is attached to a segmental arm ll on the lever I2.

As shown, the other end of the cable I6 is connected to the end of a shaft I8 which is provided with a threaded portion l9 and with a splined portion arranged to cooperate with a driving member 2|. The shaft [8 is rotated at a predetermined constant speed by the driving member 2| provided with a driving gear 22 arranged to be driven through suitable driving mechanism (not shown), connecting it to the electric motor 23 which forms the driving means for the entire machine. The splined connection of the shaft to its driving member 2| is provided so as to permit the shaft to be moved longitudinally, as it-is rotated, by reason of its threaded connection with a nut 24 secured on theupper end of an oscillating arm 25, the lower end of which is provided with a fixed and adjustable pivot 26. This longitudinal movement of the shaft 18 is toward the left, as viewed in the drawing, as the bobbin is built up and is eifective to produce a progressive raising movement of the ring rail with respect to the spindle.

The arm 25 is oscillated about its pivot 26 by means of a cam 21 forming a part of the machine and driven from the electric motor 23. As shown, the cam bears directly on a roller 28 on the lower end of an arm 29 having a fixed and adjustable pivot 30 at its upper end. This arm r, 29 bears at an intermediate point on a roller 3| secured to a member 32 which is slidably mounted on a guide (not shown) secured to the arm 25 and extending longitudinally thereof. As the arm 25 is oscillated about its pivot 25, its upper end moves the end of the shaft l8 back and forth, the splined portion 20 moving relative to the driving member 2|, and the ring rail is correspondingly oscillated up and down with respect to the spindle.

With the parts in the position shown, the roller 3| and the member 32 are in their lowermost position, which position is occupied during the main portion of the winding operation. At the beginning of the winding operation, the member 32 is in a raised position as compared to that shown, so that the roller 3| cooperates with the arm 29 to give a shorter amplitude of movement to the arm 25 and the member 32 secured thereto. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the roller 31 is initially raised by temporarily disconnecting the driving connection for the shaft [8 and turning the shaft manually so as to feed it back toward the right, as viewed in the drawing, through the nut 24 whereby the ring rail is lowered, and a gear 33 on the shaft is brought into engagement with a rack (not shown) on the member 32. Further continued rotation of the shaft causes the gear 33 to raise the member 32 and with it the roller 31 to an uppermost position.

This manual operation sets the machine for the beginning of a winding operation. During the initial stages of the winding operation while the conical base is being formed, the gear 33 progressively moves the member 32 downwardly, or transversely to the direction of oscillation, until, when the conical base has been formed, the member 32 has arrived at its lowermost position, shown, in which position the gear 33 no longer engages the rack.

It will be understood that the mechanism so far described is old in the art and is shown as typical of ring spinning machines for the purpose of a clearer understanding of the invention. It will be apparent now that the member 32 which is secured to the oscillating member-25 comprises an element of the machine having an oscillating movement corresponding to the relative oscillatory movement between the ring rail and the spindle and having a progressive transverse movement during a predetermined portion of the winding operation. The member 32 and the arm 25 are commonly referred to by those skilled in the art as a monkey mechanism, the part 32 which is movable transversely during a portion of the winding operation comprising the monkey.

While any suitable variable speed driving motor 23 may be used in accordance with the invenoscillatory and the transverse movement of the member 32 through suitable linkage mechanism comprising a link 39, one end of which is connected to the member 32 by means of a pin 40 and the other end of which is provided with a rack 4| arranged to engage a gear 42 in order to operate the contact arms 38 of the rheostat 34.

As described above, in order to begin the winding operation, the machine must be reset so as to bring the shaft [8 to its extreme right-hand position and the member 32 to its uppermost position. During this resetting operation it will be apparent that the link 39 Will be operated in a left-hand direction by movement of the member 32- to its uppermost position so as to rotate the contact arms 38 in a counterclockwise direction and thereby insert a major portion of the resistances 35, 36 and 31 into the respective motor circuits. Accordingly, the spinning machine at the beginning of the winding operation will be driven at a relatively low base speed and as the cam 21 rotates, the arm 25, the member 32 and the linkage mechanism 39 will be oscillated so as successively to increase and decrease the motor speed as the ring rail moves relative to the spindle. Since the point of contact between the roller 3| and the arm 29 is relatively close to the pivot pin 39, it will be apparent that the amplitude of oscillation of the member 32 and the link 39 is relatively small, and accordingly, the speed change accomplished at the beginning of the winding operation is comparatively small.

As the winding operation proceeds, the member 32 moves downwardly from its upper position and since the left-hand end of the link 39 is connected to the member 32, it will be apparent that the link 39 will be moved in a right-hand direction to rotate the arm 38 in a clockwise direction and thereby gradually increase the base speed of the machine. When the member 32 and the link 39 have reached their lowermost position, the contact arms 38 will occupy the position shown in the drawing, in which position a considerable portion of each of the resistances 35, 36 and 31 is excluded from the respective motor circuits, and accordingly, the machine will be operated at a maximum base speed. This lowermost position of the member 32 corresponds to the completion of the base forming operation, and the maximum base speed now obtained will remain constant 75 during the remaining portion of the winding operation.

It will also be apparent that as the member 32 moves transversely or downwardly during-the initial portion of the winding operation, the point of engagement of the roller 3| with the arm 29 moves farther away from the pivot point 30, and accordingly, the magnitude of the oscillation imparted to the member 32 and the link 39 will gradually be increased. When the member 32 reaches the lowermost position shown, which position, as heretofore mentioned, corresponds to the completion of the base forming operation, the ampli tude of the oscillation imparted to the member 32 and hence the amplitude of speed change will have attained a maximum value which will be maintained during the remainder of the winding operation.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Apparatus for controlling the speed of a ring spinning machine or the like provided with an element oscillating in accordance with the relative oscillatory movement between the ring rail and the spindle, said element having a predetermined progressive movement during a portion of the winding operation, means for varying the speed of the machine, and means connected to said speed varying means and to said machine element for varying the speed of the machine between predetermined limits in accordance with the oscillations of said element and for varying the base speed of the machine in accordance with the progressive movement of said element.

2. Apparatus for controlling the speed of a ring spinning machine or the like provided with an element oscillating in accordance with the relative oscillatory movement between the ring rail and the spindle, said element having a predetermined transverse movement during the initial portion of the winding operation, means for varying the speed of the machine, and means connected to said speed varying means and said machine element for operating said speed varying means to vary the speed of the machine through a desired amplitude of speed change above a predetermined base speed, said connecting means including means for varying the base speed of the machine in accordance with the transverse movement of said element.

3. Apparatus for controlling the speed of a ring spinning machine or the like provided with an element oscillating in accordance with the relative oscillatory movement between the ring rail and the spindle, said element having a predetermined transverse movement during a portion of the winding operation, means for varying the speed of the machine, linkage mechanism for operating said speed varying means, and means pivotally connecting said linkage mechanism to said machine element for driving said linkage mechanism to vary the speed of the machine between predetermined limits in accordance with the oscillatory movement of said element and to vary the base speed of the machine in accordance with the transverse movement of said element.

4. Apparatus for controlling the speed of a ring spinning machine or the like provided with an element oscillating in accordance with the relative oscillatory movement between the ring rail and the spindle, said element having a predetermined progressive movement during a portion of the winding operation, means for varying the speed of the machine, an operating link connected to said speed varying means, and means connecting said link to said machine element whereby the oscillatory movement of said machine element is effective to vary the speed of said machine through a desired amplitude of speed change above a predetermined base speed and the progressive movement of said machine element is effective to increase said base speed during the initial portion of the winding operation.

5. Apparatus for controlling the speed of a ring spinning machine or the like provided with an element oscillating in accordance with the relative oscillatory movement between the ring rail and the spindle, said element having a predetermined transverse movement during a portion of the winding operation, means for varying the speed of the machine, and means comprising a single, rigid link having one end drivingly engaging said speed varying means and the opposite end directly connected to said machine element for varying the speed of the machine between predetermined limits in accordance with the oscillations of said element and for varying the base speed of the machine in accordance with the transverse movement of said element.

CLAUDE C. RUNNER. 

